The present invention relates, in general, to simulation of electrical circuits, and more particularly, to a novel method of reducing electrical coupling between conductors by simulating the electrical coupling.
As technology continually advances, the frequency of signals carried by conductors continues to increase while the spacing between conductors diminishes thereby increasing the conductor's parasitic signal coupling. The coupling often affects reliable operation of electrical equipment by causing variations of the voltage value of electrical signals carried by the equipment's conductors. The effects of parasitic signal coupling have led to a need for accurate computer simulation of such coupling.
A variety of circuit simulation programs and methods previously have been used to simulate parasitic signal coupling. The accuracy of prior simulation tools generally is limited by restrictions such as limiting each conductor being simulated to a single cross-sectional area. Since a conductor's electrical parameters are affected by the conductor's cross-sectional area, prior simulation tools do not accurately predict the effects of parasitic signal coupling. In addition, prior simulation methods typically simulate all conductors as having equal lengths, thereby further reducing simulation accuracy.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a method of simulating parasitic signal coupling that includes conductors having different lengths, different cross-sectional areas in different sections.